Mako Eyes
by Zimithrus1
Summary: CC Twist: Cloud died. Zack did not. Distraught, the young SOLDIER returns to Midgar to keep a promise, But not all promises can be kept. Changes in Shinra and his life throw him into a spiral of anger. He then turns on Shinra and becomes a target to kill. As it turns out, the planet wasn't finished with Cloud yet...Shinra just created their worst nightmare. Full Summary Inside!
1. Chapter 1

Oh boy...Here we are again! Oh well XD Okay all, I'm glad you clicked on this story to at least check it out, it makes me very happy! :D So here's that full summary I said was inside!

_Cloud died. Zack did not. Distraught, the young SOLDIER returns to Midgar to keep a promise, but not all promises can be kept. Changes in his life send him into a downward spiral of anger and confusion, and that's when he turns on Shinra, and becomes their number one target to kill. Yet, as he goes along in his new life, he discovers signs of Cloud being alive after all, and he seemed to be following in Zack's footsteps, because the signs showed that he too, became an enemy worth killing. Shinra has just created two more powerful Sephiroth's. And now, they're teaming up with AVALANCHE to take down these two unstoppable friends._

Oh, and there will be quotes from songs or games that I like that fits the chapter. Anyhow, How about we get to that  
story! :)  
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_Like an Army Falling, One By One By One..._  
_Linkin Park, In My Remains~~_

His vision was hazy at best. Clouded sunlight peeped through on occation, lighting up the desolate battlefield, stripped of any form of vegitation. Only dry cliffs remained outside Midgar within a few miles radius. His Mako infused eyes scanned the army closing in on him, bullets flying past, whizzing right by him. Some he was able to deflect, others struck him or barely grazed him.  
He had already taken a bullet to the arm and shoulder. His sword felt heavy, like a ton of cinderblocks in his shakey hands. Lights that flickered off the army's uniforms created a starbust effect in his eyes, causing him to squint and blink.

More bullets and grenades flying around him. His mentor's words constantly echoed in his head, and his drive to protect his friend fueled his adrineline to the max. Blood was rushing in his ears, and he was nearly seeing red passed the blur of his sight. A bullet struck him in the leg and he stumbled, nearly falling. He let out a cry of pain and staggared. His arms felt stiff and unstreached.  
He was working his enhanced muscles to their limits and beyond. He ran at a near-by trooper and sliced into his chest. The cadet let out a cry and fell to the cracked grounds, still and unmoving.

His breaths we're getting heavy and laced with exhuastion. They would just fill in constantly, right after a comrade went down, another was there to take their place. A grenade was chunked at him. He knew if he wanted to pull this move off, he only had three seconds to do it. He grabbed it in mid-air, then threw it right back at the army.  
It exploded just miliseconds after he threw it. Bodies blew into the air and limbs and organs scattered about. A gruesome sight indeed. But it had to be done.

He was not going to be a guinea pig again. He wouldn't let his friend become one again either. Just because the kid finished off the great Sephiroth, didn't give professor Hojo the right to do those terrible things to him. If anyone should have been killed that day, it should have been Hojo himself. In Zack Fair's opinion, he was the real threat, and everyone else was just a pawn in his ruthless game of chess.  
He acted like the king, and nothing else was his equal. The psycho acted as if he could play God.  
That's a matter you don't toy with.

A bullet whized by and scraped his face, drawing some blood and re-opening an old scar. Re-opening old and painful memories. His mentor was felled by his own hand. Zack grit his teeth and trudged on, hacking and slashing at the cadets. The army was falling one by one. Slowly, but surely. The numbers barely seemed to diminish. Yet they were starting to thin out now. A good sign if Zack was to live through this.  
The sunlight disappeared behind dark grey clouds, and the air was overcome with humidity and the sweet scent of rain. The wind slightly picked up, and it cooled his body off from sweat and blood.

It continued on like this for Gaia knows how long. Then, only three troopers remained. Zack was near collapsion by now. He had taken three bullets to the chest, two in his right arm, and one in his left leg. He could only limp now. He was going to die. He knew it. At least Cloud would be safe in the cliffs. The army had been so caught up with this pesky SOLDIER that they must have completely forgotten about him.

But Cloud did not forget about Zack.

He saw the blonde haired boy trying to drag himself across the cracked and dry cliffs. It was good that he was moving, but it was bad that he was moving at this specific moment. The boy was barely able to hold his head up. His face twisted in pain at his own condition, and shock at his friends'.  
The troopers continued their advancements towards Zack, not noticing the blonde desperatly trying to crawl over to his friend. He needed to keep them distracted.

He staggared closer to the three troopers. His sword now dragging at his side and blood staining his uniform and face. In what could have been a surge of adrineline, he noticed Cloud struggling up to his feet, without any help. Zack quickly shot him a look with his eyes, silently telling him to stay down. Cloud did not listen. but instead, continued trying to stand.

Rain began to fall heavily, washing some of the fresh blood from Zack, but the dried blood didn't come off. The troopers still continued their slow advance towards the injured SOLDIER. Zack was barely able to hold his sword up to get into a striking position. Just as the troopers began to raise their guns to shoot...

"Zack." A tender voice croaked.

The troopers instantly looked over to see Cloud slowly trudging towards them, a glare in those illuminating Mako blue eyes of his.

"Let's take care of this thorn in the side first." The trooper wearing a red muffler ordered.

The others by his side nodded, and turned their guns on Cloud. The boy's face changed into surprise, but then it fell into nutreal, and he continued his advance toward them. His slow and shakey advance.

"On my mark, you fire." The commander told them.

They nodded once again and flipped the safety off their rifles. Cloud stumbled and fell into a puddle of rainwater collecting in the ground. He did not - could not - get up.

"Ready?" The commander said.

Zack felt a rush of energy sweep over him, and his sword became light as a feather again.

"Fire!" The comander ordered.

The two other troopers began to rapidly shoot into Cloud, the boy's body twitching with each bullet that entered into his flesh and splurting blood in every direction it could go. Zack was then able to slice through the commander and the troopers with ease. He did not stop stabbing them until their bodies stopped twitching.

When this was accomplished, he fumbled to Cloud's side as quick as his worn and beat up body would let him. He fell to the boys' side and observed him. Bullet holes litter his head and shoulders. He was barely alive. Zack turned him over. Cloud looked strangely content in his condition. How on Gaia was this kid nearly grinning?

"You...Had a promise t-to keep." Cloud weakly told him. "Aerith, r-right? Tell her I said...Hello." Cloud added, before his breathing stopped. He died. A content expression still on his face. As if he sacrificed himself for this one sole purpose.

Zack quickly shut his eyes and clentched his teeth. He couldn't tell if he was crying, or if it was just the rain slipping down his cheeks. Regardless, it was cold and bitter, filled with defeat and grief. He wanted Cloud to come back, alive, with him. Zack gently rested his hand over the boys' eyes, and closed them. Now he just looked like he was peacefully sleeping. Sleeping forever.

"I'll tell her you said hello." Zack finally said over the crashing of the rain in painful drops to the ground.

He sat there, still bleeding, yet still alive. How was he still alive? Why wasn't he gone too? He heard soft whirring. He looked up to see some black silloetted shape in the sky, with a bright yellow light scoping the premises. It landed stright on Zack, illuminating his horrid injuries. The sillouette continued its' advance, getting bigger by the second. It was a helicopter. The Turks possibly?  
He continued to stare at it, even when it touched down and the whirring of the blades died down. Out of the chopper came Cissnei, rushing out in a hurry.

"There you are! Goddess, you're still alive!" She shouted, running up to his side. Her face did have elation seeing he was alive, but it fell when she noticed the dead cadet by his side. Closed eyes and a peaceful face.

"They got him...Didn't they?" Cissnei asked.

Zack nodded mutely. Not even making a single sound. The rain continued to pelt the ground roughly, no mercy for the scene unfolding.

Cissnei took out Cure Materia from her pocket. She held it up and healed Zack's wounds. The bullet holes in his body closed up and vanished, as did the pain. She then crouched to the ground, and used the Cure on Cloud. His bullet wounds disappeared as did the fresh blood. Now he really looked like he was sleeping.

"I'm afraid that's all I can do for him now." Cissnei said, with a glum tone in her voice. She got back up on her feet.

"Come on. We have to get you back to Shinra. You have a lot to tell us." She said, offering Zack her hand.

Who's 'Us', Cissnei? It can't be Sephiroth, it can't be Genesis, nor Angeal. Lazard is also dead, so who's running the show now?" Zack coldly asked, refusing her offer and standing up on his own.

"Heideggar, and Rufus Shinra. Along with some other higher ups, wanting to hear your story." She replied.

Zack did not respond to her reply, but he walked to the chopper.

"Shinra doesn't intrest me as much as it did anymore. I'm only going back for personal reasons you know." He said, before getting into the chopper. Cissnei nodded and followed him in.

The chopper ride to Midgar was silent the whole way there. Zack only looked out the window of the chopper, and Cissnei decided to leave him be. By the time they made it back to Shinra, the rain had stopped and it was only partly cloudy now. Zack had his hands idly resting in his pockets and he looked down as he walked behind Cissnei as she led the way.  
They stepped into the elevator, and rode it to the meeting board room.

Upon arrival, Heideggar, Rufus Shinra, Scarlet, Reeve, and Tseng were sitting inside, waiting for the two to enter.

"I've brought him sir." Cissnei said to Tseng.

He nodded at her and she went to stand to the side. Zack looked up, but kept his hands in his pockets. Before anyone could ask him a single question, Zack growled on out at them.

"Who mobilized the army after us?" He demanded, making his way to the table, giving each and every one of them a death glare.

"My old man did." Shinra spoke up, looking quite bored to be here.

Zack turned his attention onto him. "Why?" He glared, pulling his hands out of his pockets.

Shinra only looked up at Zack, giving him an amused smile. "How should I know?" He mused.

Zack slammed his gloved hands against the wood table, making the whole thing tremble in vibrations. **"Give me an answer now, or I'll be throwing out of the conference window."** He threatened, narrowing his eyes into a deadly glare that no one thought the once bubbly Zack Fair could even muster.

Shinra stopped smiling at Zack's display of behaviour. "He said that Hojo gave him orders." He responded.

"Hojo? Give the president orders? That's fucking hallarious." Zack sarcasticlly growled.

"Even my old man doesn't like that crazy old coot." Shinra said, shaking his head and offering a shrug.

"Well, if your dad ever talks to Hojo again, tell him that he just killed one of his prized experiments!" Zack spat, turning on his heel to storm out of the conference room.

"Zack." Tseng spoke up, quite coldly, even for him.

Zack looked back at him with angered eyes, not feeling very patient right now. The Turk did not say anything, but held a stern expression as he stared into Zack's eyes. He could see the anger and confusion behind them, as well as pain and grief.

"I'm hearby giving you a two week vacation so you can regain your senses. It starts today. You are also going to be on close watch and you are not allowed to leave Midgar." He finally said.

Zack only stared at him, before going through with storming out.  
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A/N: So, did you like it so far? :) But poor Cloudy! Ahhh! DX But don't worry, he comes back later in this story, one form or another! Bwahahaha! Anyhow, tell me what you think and drop me a review! Reveiws are my bread and butter you know :)  
Plus, reviews motivate me to update quicker than usual. :D

Well, until the next chapter then! ^o^


	2. Chapter 2

Well, chapter two of Mako Eyes is here! :) I appriciate the reveiws I have gotten so far, and I thank you guys for them. Anyhow, let's get started!  
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_All My Questions Get No Answers, Locked Up Tight From The World Outside Me..._  
_St. John, by We Are The Fallen~~_

Zack didn't know where he was going in all honesty. He was just aimlessly wandering around the slums of Midgar, unsure of what to do or where to go. He paused when arriving in the slums of sector five. He remembered Aerith. Was she still waiting for him? She had written him so many letters, yet only one made it to him.  
He passed the market. Not much had changed since he had last been there. If anything, the kids he had known were grown up. Some looked quite familier, but he walked on, leaving the market and walking in the direction of the church.

He could see the large and abandoned building in the distance as his pace quickened. It had deteriorated more since he had last seen it. More holes were littering the roof, and some of the outside marble slabs were cracking. Some of the stained glass windows looked weather damaged, and others were even cracked or missing completely. He found himself walking even faster, as if the building was starting to run away from him. He had broken out into a sprint, seeing the building keep shrinking further and further.  
The illusion of the church vanishing, had disappeared when his hand tightly gripped the large door handles.

He blinked a couple of times and realized that from that short sprint, he was easily winded. He looked back from where he had first ran. It wasn't even that far away, yet he was out of breath already. Some of the people in the vicinity had stared at him with widened eyes. Had they never seen a person run before or something?  
Feeling tired of the looks he was getting, he shot the few people that were there a glare. They blinked, then hurried on about their buisness.

Zack turned his attention back to the door. He realized his heart was slamming against his chest furiously. He took a few deep breaths to calm himself, before pressing on the large doors. They creaked and groaned loudly, as if complaining about being opened. He looked up in hope, thinking Aerith would be tending to the flowers as usual. But his eyes fell when he saw the empty church.  
He stepped further inside, approaching the flower bed. Colors of yellows and creamy oranges surrounded the soil in which they were growing. Zack stopped in front of them, and stared at them, soaking in as much detail as his eyes could see.

He floppped down onto the old wooden floor of the church and sat criss-crossed. He rested his face in his hands, letting his elbows dig into his legs to hold his arms up. His expression looked quite bored as he watched the still flowers. If only a wind could just blow through to make them dance, and spread their wonderful fragrence across the desolate church.

He sat there for a long time. His legs going numb from his elbows digging into them. He was about to give up, until her heard laughter. Her laughter. He quickly rose to his feet and whirled around to face the open door. His face held confusion when she walked in, holding onto another man's arm. Aerith looked ahead, and her face fell into shock.

"Zack?" She asked in disbelief.

"The one and only." He replied with an air of pride. He crossed his arms across his chest and gave her a kind smile.

The man that was next to Aerith looked quite mad to see Zack standing there. "Who is this Aerith? Old aquaintance?" He asked with a gruff tone.

Zack stopped smiling and his eyes narrowed at this man. Aerith dropped the man's arm and sighed heavily.

"I guess I have some explaining to do." She said glumly, hanging her head down slightly.

"Are you tellin' me that this is the guy you always talked about?" The mystery man asked, quite annoyed.

"Yes. He is." Aerith replied with a nod of her head.

The man approached Zack in a hostile manner. "You've got some guts, dont'cha mister high n' mighty?" He accused still coming at him like a freight train.

Zack readied his stance, prepared to assult this man if neccesary. "I've got guts? No sir, you've got guts thinking you can take me on." Zack snarled, not liking this man's tone.

"You're the guy that Aerith always talked about. Yeah, I thought you might have been a good guy at first, but then she told me you just up and vanished. Here you are now. I say again, you've got some guts coming back for her now, after all these years." He growled, still storming his way up to Zack.

"I had my reasons. You better watch it boy." Zack spat, gritting his teeth.

"So, where did you disappear to for four years? Aerith told me she wrote you so many letters and you never sent one back. Explain that." He growled, stopping just inches away from Zack.

This man was just a few inches taller than him, and a little bit more broader. But he didn't stand a chance against a Mako enhanced SOLDIER. Especially one with hand to hand, and sword training.

"I was finishing up a mission in Nebelheim when it happened. A deranged phsyco scientist captured me and my friend, and performed crazy tests and experiments on me and him for about four years. We finally escaped, then the army was mobilized on us. They nearly killed me, and they killed my friend. For those years, and those days on the run, my goal was to always come back here for Aerith. I promised her I would come back." Zack explained, not really wanting to tell this oaf what had happened over the past four years.

"Why should we believe you?" The man asked rudely.

"Because it's the honest to Gaia truth." Zack growled, getting quite sick of this man already.

Aerith finally apprached the two slowly, her head still slightly down. "Zack, I have a few things to tell you." She said very glumly.

The mystery man backed off to let her speak with him. She looked up with a quite hurt expression.

"I thought you would never come back. It had been four years, and I sent you so many letters that you never replied too. I even sent that little dog monster that hung out here. But even my last letter you didn't reply to. I just, gave up. Then, I met someone else." She said with a deflated tone.

Zack's eyes widened. So she was seeing this man? He took a step back from her. This couldn't be happening. It just couldn't happen!

"Now you know...I'm sorry Zack. But I moved on." She replied, hurridly turning on him and going back to the man's side.

"Now get outta here." The man growled. Zack shook his head, replacing his shocked expression, with one of hurt and anger.

"I will go. Have a good life Aerith. This time I'm gone for good. I hate to say it, but next time, don't make promises you can't keep." he said, leaving the church with tenced shoulders and a sad look on his face.

It felt as if his heart had been put through a meat grinder, pressed and chopped into long greusome strands for monsters to eat up and enjoy his sorrow. The only reason he came back was for Aerith, and for her alone. His best friend died for nothing.  
Embers and cinders of hate and extreme anger swelled inside him, reflecting through his eyes. He remembered Cloud's face, content as he died. How would he feel if he knew that he died for absolutely nothing?

Zack had no time to be sad anymore. He could only feel anger and hate festering like a disease running through his hot and heated blood. He began to hate everything. Even the girl he had grown to love. He hated Hojo for those years or torture. He hated the army for killing Cloud. He hated Shinra in general now. He hated everything, and no remorse was present in his being.  
He was not going back to Shinra. He was not going back to Aerith. He was going to leave, and never come back. He was going to close himself off from the world. In order to do that, he needed a few supplies. Luckily, he knew just the place to get them.

He stormed through the market of the sector five slums and went to the train station. It was still running just fine, and if anything, the trains looked a little more advanced from when he had last ridden them. He took the train that went directly to Shinra. Hardly anyone was on, even for it being around midday.  
He took the last section of the train, and sat in the back. His arms were crossed and his eyes were sharp and furious with rage. Thankfully he still had his sword that he had inherited from Angeal.

He wondered what Angeal would be thinking of him right now? Probably shame for what Zack was about to do. He was left alone with his thoughts on that train. People only gave him small glances, but would return back to their own buisness.  
Zack looked out the window, and watched the sights of Midgar quickly pass by him. The world flying by like a distant breeze. Before he knew it, the train was stopped at Shinra. Zack snapped out of his daze and quickly left the locomotive.

He looked up at Shinra, and his hate began to slowly fester inside of him again. If it wasn't for Shinra sending him out on that praticular mission, then none of this would be happening right now. Cloud would still be alive and Aerith would still be his girlfriend. He drew his sword as he stormed up to the Shinra building.  
A wonderful tower of lies and deception. He burst through the front door with furious, boiling despisement. One of the secritaties freaked out, sending the lobby into mass panic at the sight of the SOLDIER with nothing but revenge questioning in his eyes.

Some infantryman were called down. Zack remembered the army coming at him like this, and now his blood was boiling. His teeth tightly gritted together and the grip on his sword tightened into a vice grip. He lunged at the cadets, easily slicing through them with the massive swords. Entrails and organs slipped from their decapitated bodies as cries of pain echoed sweetly throughout the lobby.  
Zack felt a new sensation overwhelm him. A sensation to kill. It was a wonderful feeling. His eyes lost anger, and were replaced with the lust for a kill.

He continued to slice through the cadets like a knife through warmed butter. Blood splattered on the floors and the walls, and dotted Zack's uniform, which had surprisingly shrunk on him. Some third class SOLDIER's were sent out next. Zack was nearly excited to slice through a tougher challenge. He easily cut those down to size. A large phsycotic smile creeping across his face.

Seconds and some new firsts were sent out next. Zack cut those in half too, but as he was making his advance up the stairs, a familier face appeared. Kunsel, without that helmet usually glued to his head. His shaggy black-grey hair a mess in his eyes. He looked shocked to see his friend cutting down all of their strongest SOLDIER's like nothing. What had he become?

"Zack! What are you doing!" Kunsel cried as his standard issued sword clashed with Zack's mighty one.

His friend did not answer him, but only pressed further into his sword swing, cracking the enforced steel, with near ease. Kunsel pushed back, but the sword snapped by the hilt, and Zack's sword sliced into his arm. He cried out in pain and stumbled back, dropping the hilt of the sword.

"Look at yourself!" Kunsel cried. Zack ignored him and lunged at him. Kunsel stepped back and avoided being sliced.

"You're becoming as crazy as Sephiroth!" Kunsel shouted.

Zack stopped for a moment. His eyes still looked wide and nearly psychotic, but he remained still.

"Just stop!" Kunsel begged.

"No Kunsel. Sephiroth wasn't crazy. Maybe crazy for Jenova, but he was right to turn on Shinra." Zack finally said, raising his sword again.

"What are you saying? This isn't the Zack I know!" Kunsel shouted, narrowing his eyes.

"The Zack you knew is dead!" Zack shouted, rushing at Kunsel again.

He backed up as much as he could before stumbling and falling to the ground. Zack pinned him there with his mighty sword drawn up dangerously close to Kunsel's neck.

"Zack...Why would you betray Shinra? Why are you becoming like Sephiroth and Genesis?" He asked, shaking his head with solemn eyes.

Zack's sword jutted even closer to Kunsel's throat. His adam's apple was visible when he swallowed hard. His eyes were locked on Zack, wide and in an enormous amount of fear.

"Because they knew how twisted Shinra was. I just wish I could have seen it sooner. You don't know anything Kunsel. They're keeping you in the dark. The three greatest SOLDIER's were all parts of experiments, performed by none other than Shinra. I was almost one too. But now I see their ways. They don't care about sacrificing cadets, or even lower class SOLDIER's. Not even a funeral service will be held for those who have died. What a messed up world we truely live in." Zack sighed, shaking his head.

"Zack, please...Don't do this!" Kunsel begged. Zack removed his sword from his friend's neck.

"I'll let you live Kunsel. I'll let you find out just how corrupt Shinra really is." He spoke, running past him to slice at more SOLDIER's and cadets that came at him.

He would not stop. Not until this murderous desire could be curbed. But Zack had a feeling that wouldn't happen. Pretty soon, the number of SOLDIER's began to diminish. Looks like they wern't training them like they used to be. Back then, SOLDIER was unstoppable, now they were a disgrace and Zack was nearly ashamed to be a part of it in the past. How could he not see like Genesis? He saw their corruption, and Zack was blinded by his bond to Shinra.

He truely was a Shinra lapdog back then.

Eventually, he began to get so sick of this place, that killing the cadets wasn't fun anymore. He had already exterminated every SOLDIER within sight. He just shrugged, becoming bored, and he walked right out of the front doors. He was covered in the blood of others, but he did not mind.  
Although, he did need a change of clothes. His outfit was still covered in bulletholes and his own dried blood from the fight on the cliffs beforehand.

He casually strolled his way throughtout Midgar, ignoring the horrified stares he was recieving. He continued his leisurely pace all the way to the slums of sector five again. Not even a single cadet was chasing after him. Shinra was getting lazy. That would cost them.

One day, he would be back, and his vengence would be bitter-sweet.


	3. Chapter 3

Alrighty! Chapter three of Mako Eyes is here and ready to read! :D I hope you guys enjoy it!  
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_There's A Hole In The World Like A Great Black Pit, And It's Filled With People Who Are Filled With Shit.~~  
No Place Like London, From the Sweeny Todd Movie~~  
_

His eyes felt surprisingly heavy. It was hard to open them, and it felt like cement was crusted to his eyelids. He was able to blink them open as he slowly sat up. His whole body felt heavy, as if he was full of lead. He looked around with bleary vision. Minty green wisps of some unknown substance blew around him, dancing around as if there was a faint breeze, even though one was not present.

It was black all around, save for the green wisps flying by slowly. His eyes trailed the slow moving strands and he weakly held his heavy hand up. The substance felt like strands of silken hair, and they intertwined with his hands and wrapped up his arm. He slowly blinked, where was he? He thought he was dead?

He heard heavy footsteps approaching. He looked up to see a large built man walking up to him. He had one white angel wing protruding from his back, and also strapped to his back, was the Buster Sword. He was confused now. Didn't that sword belong to Zack? The minty green strands still circled around his arms, and flew through past his gaze. The man stopped a few feet away from him.  
He looked up at the man, to find he was offering a hand for him to grab. He looked at him confused, he would have asked where he was, but he found his voice was gone. He took the hand and was helped up. The man gave him a reassuring smile.

"You must be wondering where you are, right?" He asked him.

He nodded mutely with his blue eyes blinking.

"You're in the lifestream." He told him.

He blinked rapidly and his golden eyebrows arched in confusement. What was this man getting at? He knew he was dead, so this had to be the afterlife, right? He could only blink, still holding his confused expression. The man only chuckled a bit before he spoke.

"That's right, you're not dead, but you're not alive. Your still conscious, even though your mortal body is unmoving." The man explained to him.

Cloud shot him a look, as if he was trying to say _'How do you know I'm not really alive?'._

"That's an easy question. I saw it." The man replied.

He gave the man another strange look.

"Cloud. The planet isn't done with you yet. That's why you're here." The man explained on a very serious note as his tone sharpened, and his Mako blue eyes seemed to solidify in a set and serious expression. His black hair slid down and a few strands fell into his eyes, yet he made no movement to brush it away as he continued to stare at the blonde boy before him.

"Not...Done with me?" Cloud was able to grunt out. How did this man know his name? And how did he know that he wasn't dead yet and he still had things to do apparently? Cloud was confused, and he shook his head as he hung it down. His blonde bangs falling into his face as he continued the furious confused head shake.

"That's right." The man said with a nod of his head as he finally brushed away his black hair from his face. He gently rested a gloved hand on the boy's shoulder.

"What...Does the Planet want with me?" Cloud asked, completely confused. He had so many questions, and not a single answer for any of them. They racked around in his head and made him nearly dizzy.

The green strands of the lifestream circled around Cloud, before entering his skin. He breathed in sharply and his breath hitched in his chest as the minty strands continued to go into his skin.

"This should help even out what's left of the Mako Addiction." The mystery man said. The green strands stopped entering Cloud and quickly swirled around him.

"It's time for you to go now." He said, blinking his eyes as a small smirk touched the corners of his lips.

"w-Wait! What does the Planet want with me?" Cloud desperately asked again as the strands of lifestream swirled around him even faster.

"I can't tell you, but I'll give you a hint. 'If they are not stopped, this world is doomed. Start with the pawns, and make your way up to the king'." The man explained.

The swirling green strands were circling him at a fierce speed now and he felt less heavy suddenly.

"Wait, who are you?" Cloud quickly asked as a white light tried to enter his eyes.

"My name is not important. But if you see Zack, tell him I'm not disappointed in his choice of actions." He said, giving a small wave to the blonde.

Suddenly, the bright white light assaulted Cloud's vision and he quickly scrunched his eyes shut tightly. The light dissipated, and was replaced with a dark grey blur. When his eyes opened, he was staring at a wooden ceiling. He blinked and groaned quietly. He tried to move, but his whole body felt so heavy again. He was barely able to sit up. He looked around for a moment. Where was he? It looked like a child's room. Some stuffed animals were scattered about on the floor, and there was a toy box in the corner of the room, the lid tossed carelessly to the side. The toy box was completely empty.

Cloud blinked again and rubbed his eyes, but when he looked at his wrist, he noticed it was wrapped up in bandages. He quickly looked himself over, finding that he was no longer in his uniform, but in a fresh pair of clothes that were not his. He was wearing a dark navy blue shirt, and black cargo shorts. His legs that had some injuries had a few band-aids on them. He felt his head, and more bandages were wrapped around it. His shoulders and chest were also bandaged, he could feel them under the clothes we was wearing.

He heard the small shuffling footsteps of a child making their way up some stairs. He looked over to the doorway, to see just that. There was a young boy poking his head into the room. He looked to be about eight or nine, and he had towhead hair that was feathery and in his face. His emerald green eyes shimmered in the dim lighting of the room. He looked back down the stairwell.

"Brother! He's up!" He cried. The boy had a bit of a problem getting his 's' out in "He's", a slight lisp.

Cloud heard heavier steps up the stairs, and the young boy's eyes followed the person making their way up the steps. His eyes kept following him, even when he stepped out into view in the doorway. The older brother had black hair, with blonde tips and highlights. His blue-grey eyes scoped Cloud.

"Well, glad to see you're up." He said, giving Cloud the most eerie smile Cloud had ever seen in his life. Teeth like that were not human, that was for sure.

"w-Where am I?" Cloud asked, his voice a bit weak and hoarse.

"Your in our house. I found you by some cliffs. Your uniform had blood stains and bullet holes littering it. I rushed up, but found you had no wounds, just a few bad bruises and deep cuts. You were muttering some strange stuff, I was a bit worried." The older brother smirked with that eerie smile.

Cloud sat up on the bed fully, only to groan and find he had a migraine from Hell. He gently pressed his hand to his throbbing head and groaned.

"Sorry, we don't have any painkillers here." The older one said. Cloud looked at the two brothers. The older one looked to be about seventeen.

"I gotta go." Cloud said, slowly standing up from the bed.

"Woah, lay back down!" The older one said, hurriedly making his way over to the blonde.

"No, I'm fine. Thank you for your hospitality though..." Cloud muttered, holding his still throbbing head. This migraine was killing him. He could hear a high pitched ringing in his ears and his vision was getting a bit bleary, he felt dizzy and he staggered trying to walk.

"Lay down, please! You got shot in the head I don't know how many times, you're probably going to have headaches like that for awhile now. So please lay down!" The older one begged. Cloud shook his head.

"It's alright." He tried to reassure, but he fell to his knees as the ringing intensified, making his balance be thrown off even more. He used both of his hands to hold his head, pounding with pain.

Cloud's eyes widened when he remember what all had just happened to him. The cliffs. Dying. The lifestream. That mystery man...and, Zack. Cloud shot his head up. "I gotta go!" He exclaimed, finding enough strength to quickly jump up on his feet.

"Woah!" The older brother cried as Cloud quickly ran by.

"Brother! That man's really, really quick! He was like a blur!" The younger one exclaimed.

Cloud quickly ran down the steps and to the front door. Adrenaline was pumping through his blood and rushing in his head furiously. He opened the door and dashed out, finding that he was in a grassy field. He could see Midgar in the distance. Zack said that he was going to Midgar as they had escaped from Hojo's lab. His head pounded even worse now, and he let out a cry of disgruntled pain. The ringing was even more high pitched, and it was throwing Cloud off. The pain awoke something deep within. It brought sudden anger and hate, festering slowly in his head like the headache was. He felt his eyes twitch.

What was going on? A dark voice laughed. It sounded just like him, only lower, and more sinister.

_"Embrace it...It will make the pain go away..."_ The voice spoke to him.

Or was he somehow talking to himself mutely? Cloud shook his head around, trying to get the voice out and regain control. The older brother had ran out of the house. "Hey!" He called, rushing up to him.

He was already out of breath and Cloud hadn't even ran that far. He lightly rested his hand on the blonde's shoulder. Cloud's eyes snapped blood red and he lunged himself forward, doing a somersault in the grassy fields before whipping around to face the teen. His was gritting his teeth tightly and he was growling.

_"Embrace it."_ The voice echoed again.

In his fit of rage, he obeyed the voice. He felt raw energy crackling like lightning throughout his body, it was a wonderful feeling, and it made his headache go away. He looked into the palms of his hands to see spheres of light crackling in his hands. Lightning bolts shot off from them. Cloud gripped the spheres tightly in his hands and he could feel them change and take form.  
When he looked down, he saw it had become a double edged sword, the hilt in the middle, where a golden sash hung from it, it's two long strands fluttering in the breeze that blew by faintly.

As for the other sphere of raw energy, it had transformed into a ball of Thundaga materia. It floated up into the air, then went inside the sword. It glowed a pale yellow and crackled loudly. Cloud got a very sadistic smile as he looked up at the boy that had followed him out. A part of him screamed from inside, shouting to not hurt the boy that had helped him out. But the rest of him felt a lust for a brutal kill, and it outweighed the foolish attempt of appeasement.  
Cloud held his hand up to the skies, and instantly, dark clouds swirled above him, thunder booming loudly, and lighting clashing brightly.

"My name is Cloud, and I come with the thunder." He proclaimed loudly as a thunderbolt struck his sword, making snapping and popping noises loudly as the raw electricity flowed through its' steely veins.

Cloud then lunged at the teen, and cut right through him, electricity flinging out in every possible direction, even into the sliced boy, making his dead body convulse and twitch. Cloud eerily smiled at the sight, then turned on his heel and looked towards Midgar. That would be his first stop.

Shinra was going to pay for what they did to him...


	4. Chapter 4

_Chapter four of Mako Eyes Is here! :D I thank all my readers, reviewers, followers, and those of you that have this story in your favorites! :3 I appreciate all the support you kind people have given me, Anyhow, onto the story now!  
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_Devour, Devour, Suffocate Your Own Empire...~~  
Devour, by Shinedown~~_

Entering Midgar proved to be a bit of a challenge for Cloud. He couldn't waltz right in like he thought he could. He was confronted by some mere cadets from Shinra. He slew them all with ease, and their pain brought him pleasure. As he forcefully barged his way into the slums of sector five, he was stopped by a third class, accompanied by two more frail looking cadets. Cloud scoffed. Slaying them would be an easy feat, he figured.

"State your name!" The third class shouted, eyes and most of his face hidden by the helmet protecting him with futile efforts.

"Who are you to ask for my name? Why don't you tell me your's first before I loose my temper?" Cloud suggested with a cocky attitude.

"You've got some nerve! You think you can take me on? Look at yourself first!" The third sneered, observing the blonde's frail looking appearance.

Cloud only gave them an eerie little smile, his eyes sparkling in an unfamilier light that only he himself knew. "So...Why do you threaten me? I have not attacked you have I? Just merely threatened you is all." He smirked, giving them a confused looking shrug, that smirk still inching across his face like a chester cat smile.

"We-uh- We have to d-do this...We suffered a h-huge loss u-up at Shinra..." One of the cadets spoke up, a bad stutter falling from his mouth with no grace.

Cloud cocked an eyebrow at this statement. "Well, this is certainly peculiar...Might I inquire what happened?" The blonde asked, not loosing his smug and snooty tone and look.

"Drop the fresh act!" The other cadet growled out, annoyance present in his gruff voice.

"Tucson! Not h-here!" The cadet with a stutter choked.

"Quiet Memphis!" The gruff infantryman ordered.

"Both of you! We're trying to do some interrogation work here!" The third snapped, gnashing his teeth at his subordinates. The two quieted down and went back to the defensive side.

"An old first class SOLDIER strolled right into Shinra and slew anyone and everyone he could. He took out all of our firsts and most of our seconds. Half of our infantry was slewn. Now we're on code red lockdown cause of that crazy bastard." The SOLDIER explained, not dropping the 'interrogating' tough act.

Cloud's eyes hardened, and his playful cocky attitude disappeared and was replaced with a serious alert one. "What did he look like?" He asked, his eyes just barely squinting.

"Hair as black as night, Mako blue eyes, a scar across his cheek, and a huge broadsword." Tucson spoke up.

"y-Yeah! I saw him t-too! He sc-scared me." Memphis seemed to whimper. It looked as if he was going to shrink away until he became non-existent.

"Where did he go?" Cloud demanded, stepping into the personal space of the three. "Why do you wanna know? An' why should we tell you?" Tucson growled.

"I'll kill you otherwise." Cloud threatened, shooting daggers at the husky built cadet. His eyes held no mercy, only a burning passion of swelling anger.

"I-I saw him! He made his way to th-this gate, stopped, then h-he turned around and mumbled something about ch-changing his look a-and resting up! Then he went that w-way!" Memphis cried out in desperation, as if spouting this out would get this stranger to go away. He pointed in the direction he had last seen the SOLDIER disappear to.

Cloud briskly walked away without another word, leaving the three to stand there, confused, frightened, and annoyed.

"Good thing he left, otha'wise I would'a gave it too him good!" Tucson huffed, as if he was any threat to Cloud's well-being.

"h-He scared me too..." Memphis mumbled, his voice disappearing into the welcoming warmth of his muffler.

"Come on. Let's get back to our post. That's enough distractions for one day." The third class decided. The group returned to their stations by the gate, waiting for any more suspicious looking people, seeking entrance to this hell-raising paradise.

Meanwhile with Cloud, he found himself in a small rundown park. Some children were there, pretending to be Wutai spies and Shinra SOLDIER. Cloud only scoffed and walked past, looking to the places that the ravenette could have gone. Cloud decided that Wall Market might be his best guest. As he entered the glum, yet upbeat looking dump of a sector, he noticed groups of men, leading women in what appeared to be a place called the 'Honeybee Inn'.  
The blonde scoffed and was about to turn on his heel, until he saw a familiar head of crazy raven black hair pop up from the place, and make his way out into the market.

Cloud stood and stared for a minute, before none other than said ravenette emerged. Mako blue eyes clashed together with one another. Zack's expression went from shocked, to smug. He jerked his head back a bit and started walking, signaling for Cloud to follow. The blonde hurriedly ran to the old SOLDIER's side. He fell into even stride next to him, his eyes eagerly looking up at the older man's for some form of approval or communication, but he was greeted by silence as they briskly walked on.  
They went all the way to the back of Wall Market, and turned into an alleyway, where a large wire hung from up above a graffiti stained brick wall. Zack turned on his heel and faced the blonde. His face seemed bright and happy.

"You are alive!" He smirked as he blinked once.

"Yes. Turns out the planet wasn't done with me yet." Cloud explained, never breaking eye contact with the older man.

"Maybe that cure Cissnei used worked or something..." Zack rambled, his eyes looking suddenly hazy and distant.

"Enough of that, what are you doing here? Why did you just come out of the Honeybee Inn?" Cloud asked curiously, hiding his elation that he was with his friend again.

"Well, upon slaughtering about half of Shinra, I was going to leave this Gaia-damned place, but I needed some rest and a change of clothes." Zack began, gesturing to the outfit he was wearing.

It looked similar to the suits that a turk wore, preferably what Reno's looked like, except he had plain street shoes on, the brand being Converse Cloud believed. He had a red bandana tied around his neck loosely, under the Turk styled suit jacket, was a plain black shirt.

"Anyway, after that, someone came up to me and asked if I was still with Shinra. When saying that I wasn't, they hired me for a mercenary job to do." He finished up, beaming quite proudly at his explanation.

"So, what's the job?" Cloud asked, folding his arms across his chest.

"I need to assassinate Don Corneo, but that's going to be a tough challenge. He's in the market for a bride and I'm not a girl, plus, the people there have already seen my face." Zack listed with a nod of his head, black spikes nodding with.

"Oh, sounds difficult. Too bad you just can't dress in drag or something." Cloud smirked, holding back a chuckle.

Zack's eyes immediately locked onto Cloud's. The blonde caught on to the look he was being given.

"Oh, hell no! I am not, absolutely NOT, going to dress in drag for you!" Cloud loudly protested.

"Please-?" Zack begged, slapping his hands together and tilting his head to the right, doing that famous puppy-dog pout at him.

"No." Cloud spat, his eyes becoming firm.

Zack only intensified the look and added a little whimper as well. how could Cloud say no to that little whimper?

"Gaia-dam...Fine!" Cloud cried, throwing his hands up in defeat.

"Yes!" The ravenette cheered, pumping a fist into the air.

"Alright! You'll need some stuff to pull this one off!" He added in, taking Cloud's hand and dragging him back into Wall Market.

"You owe me big time!" Cloud grumbled, rolling his blue eyes.

What was he getting himself into?


	5. Chapter 5

_Yay! Chapter five is here and ready for reading! :) Anyhow, let's get started shall we?_  
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~~There's Nothin' That A Hundred Men Or More Could Ever Do, I Bless The Rains Down In Africa...~~  
__~~Africa, by Toto~~_

Cloud wished he was invisible right now. Even being in the clothing store was causing him to become embarrassed for what was to transpire here. Zack and himself had entered the little clothing shop just a couple of minutes ago, and the ravenette was up at the front, talking to the cashier.

Cloud tried his best to tune out what conversation was being discussed, but when Zack pointed over in his general direction with what looked to be a cocky and victorious smile, it only caused the blonde to nearly choke on his spit that he was trying to swallow.  
It felt as if his throat was closing up from the pressure, and sheer embarrassment. The woman and Zack exchanged a few more words, before the raven haired man whirled around to face Cloud, his face smiling brightly.

"Alright, if we can get this girl's father out of the bar, then she said he'll make us a dress." He said with a nod.

"Wonderful." Cloud sarcastically remarked as he rolled his baby blue eyes.

"C'mon, let's go. We don't have all day!" The vivacious man smirked. He gripped Cloud's hand and began to lead him out of the store. The blonde felt a hot chill shoot down his spine and he shivered.

The two made it to the bar, where some drunks were trying to fight each other, their punches missing by a mile. They walked passed them and went inside. The atmosphere was smokey and dim, with some neon lights advertising wines and whiskeys fluttering and shining brightly. Professional chocobo racing was on the television, some drunks taking bets on which chocobo would win.  
There was shouting and happy cheers echoing through the room. Sounds of martinis and other hardballs being shaken and stirred in their glasses clinked softly, and the murmur of conversation was near lulling.

The two looked around, spotting an older man sitting at the bar, two glasses of whiskey by his side and he was about to get his third it seemed. Zack casually strolled up to him, Cloud followed, but his focus was more on the chocobo race on the TV.

"Hey old man, you make the dresses for the clothing shop right?" Zack asked, getting right to the point. He took a seat beside the man, which looked at him, a slightly cocked eyebrow.

"And if I do?" He questioned, taking a long swig from his third glass of alcohol. "Well, if you did, then I need one made." The ravenette bluntly said.

The bartender had came up and asked if he would like anything to drink. Zack shook his head no, and the other man went to take care of another customer.

"Can't right now. I'm all out of inspiration. Why does a burly lookin' guy like yourself need a dress anyway?" The older man asked, setting his glass down. The condensation from it dripped down and settled on the napkin under it.

"It's not for me, it's for him." Zack said, gesturing to Cloud, who was now fully enticed into the race like all the other drunks taking bets.

"A guy like him? Yeah he's frail and kinda got the shape of a woman, he's got muscle though, you sure?" The man asked, as his voice was laced with a tone of hilarity.

"I'm completely serious." Zack said firmly, his eyes set and narrowed. The older man chuckled dryly.

"Alright, I think I can make somethin'. Maybe this could be a new line of work for me. What kind of dress you want?" He asked.

Zack glanced back at Cloud. The blonde was still absorbed into the race, and completely oblivious to the enviroment around him. Zack decided to take advantage of this moment.

"Hmm, I'm thinking of a short dress, maybe a dull red and silky, cutting of at his thighs. Oh, some fish net at the end would be awesome. You think you could make some bows to put in his hair too? Those could be all sparkly." Zack said, nearly laughing. His laughs coming out choked. He was going to love seeing the blonde's reaction to what he was going to have to be put in.

"What are you tryin' to do? Make him a hooker?" The man chuckled.

"Might as well." Zack replied with a big sly smile.

"Alright, I'll go back to my shop to get that ready. You want a guy like that to look like a female, get him some makeup, and a wig...While you're at it, for fun, get him some stripper heels." The man chuckled, standing up from the bar.

He fished out a twenty and slapped it on the counter. Zack stood up as well. The bartender thanked the man for his service and suggested that he come back soon. The older man left the bar, and Zack looked at Cloud. The blonde was still enticed into the race, which was almost over now.

"Hello? Gaia to Cloud?" The ravenette asked, waving his hand in front of the younger man's face.

Cloud blinked and snapped back into reality. He looked up at Zack, a bit curious. "You done already?" He asked, blinking once.

"Yup! Come on, we still have some more stuff to get you." Zack said, leaving the bar.

"Wait a minute! I gotta wear more embarrassing things?" Cloud cried, running after the older man, in which was laughing wholeheartedly.

It had a certain tone to it that made you want to laugh with him, and know what he was laughing about. It was carefree and light. The tone was bubbly and bouncy, as if the ravenette had no care in the world.

"Not too much. Just a wig and make-up really." Zack said with a smirk, some of his teeth showing through his smile.

"That's still a lot!" Cloud exclaimed with a tone of desperation, his eyes looked a little sunken at the thought of looking like a hooker or something. Hopefully Zack didn't make the dress short. But knowing the ravenette, he probably did.

"You're an ass." Cloud growled, punching Zack in the arm.

The raven haired man just laughed it off. If the blonde wasn't so cross with him, he'd probably be laughing, or at least chuckling, as well. The two entered an item and clothing store, chalk full of random stuff that anyone could think of. From potions, down to dirty magazines. They browsed through he aisles, finding a blonde wig that would work well, and even some nice heels.

"No. I am NOT wearing those." Cloud growled, trying to look as menacing as he could.

"Yes you are." Zack smirked, not giving the blonde a say so in the matter.

"Hey! If you were me, you'd do things much more different!" Cloud shot, pointing a finger at the older man.

"Yeah, you're right I guess...I'd actually have a little bit of fun acting like a hooker." He giggled.

Somehow, the image of Zack in his own situation crossed in Cloud's mind. It caused him to swallow hard and carry a blush on his cheeks. Little hot chills tingling down his spine. The items were bought and the two left the store. They decided to go back to the clothing store to see if the dress was done yet. They stepped inside, and the older man was already waiting for them, the finished product in his hands.

"Wow! It looks real good!" Zack exclaimed with a bright smile. Cloud's mouth hung open and he gawked.

"I have to wear THAT!?" He exclaimed, pointing at it.

Zack was now a cruel individual.

"C'mon! Go put it on!" The ravenette suggested, a little to enthusiastically for Cloud's taste.

The blonde just groaned loudly and took the despised article of clothing. He went into the dressing room, sighing heavily as he looked at the dress. Regretfully, he left his comfort zone and took his comfortable clothes off. As he went to put the damn thing on, he let out a cry of pain.

"You okay?" Zack asked.

"Let's just say this dress wasn't designed for manly stick out parts!" Cloud shot, trying to catch the breath he was holding in his lungs from the pain.

"Ouch." He heard the ravenette comment with sympathy lacing his voice.

Cloud continued to put the dress on, when he finished he looked at himself in the mirror on one of the walls. He already looked sleazy. Unwillingly, he stepped out of the room, looking anywhere but Zack and himself. Put this on too. The older man said, tossing the wig at him. Cloud caught it, huffed in annoyance, and slopped it onto his head.

"There." He said with a grumpy tone.

Zack chuckled and stepped up closer to him. "You can't make it look obvious that you're wearing a wig. Let me fix it." He smirked, as he adjusted the wig on the blonde's head.

The two were pretty close to one another. So close that Cloud could smell Zack's natural scent of sandalwood. It was a nice smell to him. He pulled away and smirked. "There. Now you look better...Miss Cloud." He chuckled.

"Shut up..." Cloud grumbled, his eyes narrowing and his eyebrows flattening.

"Now all you need is a little bit of make-up!" The ravenette proclaimed, nodding his head as he blinked.

"I can take care of that, I have some with me." The woman working the cash register said with a smile. She stepped up to Cloud. "Come with me to the back, I'll get you all spiffied up!" She proclaimed, taking his hand and leading him away while Zack and the older man waited.

They discussed politics and the weather, some sports and other random topics for the sake of conversation. They had probably been talking about five to ten minutes when the woman stepped out, Cloud looking down at the floor, completely embarrassed.

"Hey, look up silly." She smirked. The blonde looked up, his face with a glaze of a blush across his cheeks.

If Zack didn't know any better, he would have thought Cloud was an actual female. He already kinda had the shape of one, but the make-up, dress, and wig brought all of that out and enhanced it. It was now the ravenette's turn to have a mouth hung open and gawking.

"If I didn't know you like I do, I would have asked you out for a drink or something." Zack said, regaining his composure. Cloud seemed to blush a little more at that.

"Alright, let's get a move on to Corneo's mansion." The ravenette said, thanking the father and daughter before leaving, Cloud following behind swiftly.

The blonde didn't like all these people staring at him. It was akward. How could any female like this kind of attention? He got cat calls and sensual stares, making him nearly cringe.

"Hey, she sure is a looker." One of the men said in a group of three.

"Yeah, I'd have fun with that." Another said.

"Wonder what she charges?" The last one asked.

Cloud blushed even more and looked down at the ground as he walked, Zack by his side. What made the situation even more awkward, was when someone asked if 'she' was free, and Zack went and grabbed 'her' ass, giving the man a look. The blonde let out a high pitched squeak and jumped forward a bit. In which earned laughter from the ravenette.

After more cat calls and more walking, they finally arrived at the mansion. There was a guard blocking the front door, his eyes set like stone.

"Wait...I have to go in alone! What if I'm not picked, or do get picked!?" Cloud harshly whispered.

"Relax, don't stress yourself out, I'll come cover you if you're in there for more than fifteen minutes. If you want, you could assassinate him for me? I do have a little pocket knife..." Zack began, as he rummaged through his pockets.

"Like one little knife is going to take down a big fat man. I wouldn't even know how to clean up..." Cloud groaned, his eyes drooping slightly.

"We're not going to clean up. We're going to make it obvious that we killed him. Get Shinra all riled up." Zack said very dead serious all of a sudden, his eyes hardening with an anger that Cloud had never seen before.

The blonde blinked as he looked up at the ravenette. This was strange. He would never even fathom the thought f Zack having some dark or evil side. The older man quickly blinked the look away.

"Never mind, just follow my lead." He said as he approached the guard, Cloud followed uneasily. Damn these fucking heels!

"'Ey buddy! Got one for ya' and yer boss." Zack said, turning on his country accent like a switch.

"Huh, who are you? What do you want?" The gaurd growled, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"Chillax pal! Name's Leonardo, I come from way yonder out in that country town called Gongaga. I came here taday to see the boss-man. I have a damn good proposition that he don't wanna miss!" Zack exclaimed, gently nudging Cloud forward.

The guard arched an eyebrow at Cloud, quite seductively.

"What you see before yer city eyes is a genuine virgin flower from my lil' country town. I had a prop fer yer boss. I figured if I trade off onea my gals, he'd give me some serious dough, you follow me?" Zack asked, a little cocky attitude floating into his already thick accent.

"unfortunately, I can't really accept the girl until she gets an interview at the Honeybee Mansion. That's where all the girls go first. But while she's down there, perhaps you could swing your little deal to the boss?" The guard suggested.

"Hey! Leonardo likes what he hears! You got yerself a deal!" Zack exclaimed, looking quite overjoyed.

Cloud wanted to pass out. Go to that sleazy whorehouse? Alone? Great! Just great!

"Alright, you take her down there and introduce her. Come back when you're done and I'll let you see Corneo." The guard said. Zack nodded and spun on his heel, starting to walk away.

Cloud followed him, nearly falling over. What was going to happen now?


	6. Chapter 6

_Whoo! Chapter six of Mako Eyes is out and ready to roll! :D I apologize for the long wait, but it is available to you now, anyhow, let's get this show on the road!~  
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_~~Sometimes I Wish Someone Out There Would Find Me, Today I Walk Alone~~_  
_~~Boulevard Of Broken Dreams, by Greenday~~_

The interview was pure torture. Cloud didn't know how he even sat there, answering each question with a straight face, using a voice that was entirely not his own. Through the whole thing, he had kept pulling on the fabric of the accursed attire so it would stay at a desireable length for him. His train of thought was interrupted when a hand was slammed onto the desk, startling him and grabbing his attention.

"This settles it! Corneo's gunna love this one!" One of them men said with quite an eerie little smile. It caused Cloud to shiver slightly.

"Hmm, She seems to fill up the profile quite nicely...Except for one tiny little thing..." The first calculated.

"I don't see what's wrong with her, she's a beaut'!" The second said, trying to persuade his colleague that his opinion was entirely wrong.

"But she's flat-chested." The first finally spoke. The second took a peek.

Even though Cloud's was still male, he felt those eyes to be just a bit too prying for his tastes. He shifted uncomfortably in his chair, trying to cover himself and escape those hungry stares.

"Huh. Guess you're right on that part." The second mumbled in thought, his thick eyebrows narrowing analytically. It looked as if his face harbored two black fuzzy caterpillars, and it was very unsettling for the blonde in disguise.

"Hey, she got all quiet on us." The first said, his eyebrows arching as well. His didn't look like caterpillars, but his just looked like a thin line of dark brown, as if he had tweezed his off or something. Jeez, what was with all the men here anyway? Vanity had gotten into their heads, that's what! Well, except for caterpillar brows here.

"Yeah, she did." The second chimed, snaking his way around the desk, to stop just a few feet away from Cloud, whom once again shifted away.

"What's the matter girl? Getting shy on us?" He asked, giving off a big eerie smile. Cloud remained silent, unsure of what to do in this situation. He couldn't blow his cover, after all, they were on an assassination job.

"Hey, quit lookin away, why don't you look over here?" The second said as his large calloused hand gently gripped Cloud's face and swiveled it in his direction.

The blonde squinted his eyes shut tight and let out a little squeak of displeasure, acting as if the grip had hurt him. He wasn't much of anything, but if he was, he was a damn good actor! Especially since he had taken drama in middle school a few years ago.

"Hey, ease up George! She looks like she bruises easy. Don won't like it if you bruise one of his girls." The first reprimanded.

"Oh. Sorry Lenny." George said, letting go of Cloud's face.

"So, what's your name girly?" Lenny asked, resting his face in his hands, which were propped up ontop of the desk.

"Haven't I already told you?" Cloud asked in a soft and whispy voice. He shocked himself at how much he could sound like a female. Damn those singing lessons his mother made him take in grade school! but at the same time, thank Shiva! It kept him from screwing everything over.

"Maybe, but we just want to hear it again. It sounds so pretty when you say it." George said, jumping in eagerly to hear it again.

"Hmm, boy's really are dim...It's Cirus." Cloud said in a snooty tone. He had to act the part to his best abilities, didn't he?

"See? In't that pretty?" George asked with a smile directed towards Lenny.

"Indeed. Well, we're finished with our interview here. Why don't we escort you down to the manor now? I'm sure the boss will be very happy to know of this country flower here." Lenny said, standing up from his chair.

He walked around the desk and grabbed Cloud's arm. He winced, pretending that it hurt. Somewhere deep inside, a part of him enjoyed feeling helpless, especially since he knew he could defend himself.

"Careful Lenny!" George scolded.

"Well I gotta make sure she don't run off now, right?" Lenny asked.

"Oh, uh, yeah I guess." The bigger man stammered.

"Then help me out!" The smaller one ordered.

George nodded and grabbed Cloud's other arm. The blonde shot him a glare. He actually was a little too rough for his tastes. He was escorted out of the Honeybee manor and led throughout Wall Market, heading in the direction of the mansion, where Cloud knew Zack would be, talking over a deal with Corneo, but why not kill him on the spot right then? He was inside already, wasn't he? His question was answered when he saw the ravenette standing outside the large doors, talking with the guard and laughing.

"Yo Leo! Your gal was good, just like you said!" Lenny called as they approached closer towards him.

Zack turned around with a grin, but it was replaced with a hate molded smoulder. "Hey! Why don'tcha be more careful with my gal! I told all of you's that she bruises easily! She's a delicate flower!" Zack scolded as he took Cloud from the two and pulled into a protective embrace, making the blonde's heart leap from his chest and beat in his throat, while his face reddened like a tomato.

"Sorry sir. We thought we was bein' careful enough." George spoke up, looking down at his shoes.

"You think that's careful? Look it' that! Jus' look!" Zack growled, pointing to a newly formed bruise on Cloud's arm where George had grabbed him.

Cloud didn't realize he had it until it was pointed out. And seeing it made it sting slightly. He also didn't realize that the ravenette still had him scooped up in his arms tightly, as is he was going to be taken back to the manor or something.

"Hey! Did the boss approve the girl?" The guard asked to the small group in front of him.

"Yeah! We gave him a call just a minute ago, he said send her and her escort up immediately!" Lenny spoke, deciding to do the talking now.

"Alright, go on in." The guard said to Cloud and Zack as the large red wooden door was opened up.

The interior of the manor was welcoming and warm, and very spacious, with bright lights and a chandelier hanging from the ceiling. The stairs were lavished in red ornate plush carpet, and a mighty large rug was sprawled out on the hard wood on which they were standing. Soft oriental music hummed from speakers set by the front desk.

"Here to see Corneo?" The person behind the desk asked.

"Sure am!" Zack responded, an arm wrapped around Cloud's shoulder. The blonde was still red in the face.

"Follow the stairs up, it'll be the door in the middle, you can't miss it." He directed. "Thanks." The ravenette smirked, leading Cloud up the soft stairs.

They walked down the one hall until they came across said door. It was large and very well decorated in old paintings. Zack pulled open the door and held it that way.

"After you, my dear." He politely said, a soft but genuine smile creeping up on his face.

"Oh cut it out already." Cloud choked, surprised that even came out of his mouth. He was sure his face was nothing but red now. Not to mention the fact that hot chills kept shooting up and down the blonde's spine every time he was smiled at like that.

"Ah! Welcome! Welcome!" A loud and booming voice invited. "You must be that little flower of Leonardo's, yes?" Corneo asked. He was a round and stout man, choppy and balding blonde hair clinging to his head. He was dressed like a mockery of a king.

The two entered the room, and one of Corneo's lacky's closed the door behind him. "Have a seat you two, there's plenty of room!" The man said, gesturing to the plush looking red leather couch.

"Thanks!" Zack exclaimed, flopping right down on the couch like it was his own house. He even propped his legs up on the large coffee table in front of it.

Cloud awkwardly sat himself next to Zack, with his hands folded in his lap.

"Could I intrest you in a drink perhaps? I have some fresh Wutai wine, just imported yesterday afternoon, and chilled to a wonderful thirty-five degrees." Corneo offered.

Cloud didn't even like alcohol, but all the description of the drink's coolness was affecting him. It caused him to lick his lips, in which were chapped dry at the moment.

"Sure I'll take a glass. You wouldn't happen to have anything soft for the lady here, huh?" Zack asked, taking on more of a gentleman stereotype now.

"Hmm, I might have some chilled apple cider in the cooler." Corneo said, scrunching his brows in deep thought.

Cloud let the tiniest whimper of thirst escape his mouth, just quiet enough for himself to hear. He loved chilled apple cider. It happened to be his favorite drink. Although the ravenette had heard the tiny whimper and looked in Cloud's direction. His blue eyes were shimmering with delight at the thought of the drink poring down his parched throat. He hadn't had anything to drink since he woke up in that house on the outskirts of Midgar just a day ago.

"Well, don't disappoint the lady." Zack said, his tone completely serious all of a sudden.

"Why, yes of course! Anything for a beauty such as her!" Corneo exclaimed, hurrying over to said cooler.

He rummaged through it for a moment, before pulling out the wine and apple cider. Cloud nearly smiled in delight. The wine glasses were pulled out as well, one for the cider, and two for the wine. The desired glasses were handed to the two. The ravenette took a quick sip and savored the flavor. Sweet, tarty, and potent. He guesstimated it would take him three or four glasses to get drunk off of this stuff. Eh, he had more powerful, but this was pretty damn tasty.

By the time he looked over to ask Cloud how the cider was, he had already downed his glass, and simply requested the bottle. Corneo looked shocked. Zack did as well, but quickly bluffed.

"She has a tendency to get a little unladylike when drinking a beverage that she likes." He said, recovering lost ground.

"So I see." Corneo replied, taking a long drink from his glass. "Good stuff." He said to himself.

He slowly made his way over to Cloud pausing in front of him. The blonde looked up, blue eyes happily glistening from the cider. Zack had to admit, Cloud could be very adorable when he wanted to be.

"Such an innocent girl, please by just cider alone. I do believe I accept your proposition Leo. How much do you want for her?" Corneo asked, placing a hand on the blonde's knee.

That happy glisten was now gone, and replaced with a look of fright and hate. Zack gave Cloud a look, signaling it was time. The blonde nodded, understanding the look. It was time for Corneo to die. Cloud stood up from the couch, femininly at first, but then his eyes hardened, and he smiled vindictively. That voice inside his head laughed again.

_I see you called? I shall answer._ It spoke, before those two spheres of crackling electricity formed in his palms.

It melded into that double-edged sword, golden sash swaying in an invisible wind.

"Wh-What the?" Corneo cried, backing away and dropping his wine glass. The red purple substance instantly seeping up into the carpet.

The few lackies in the room cried out and ran out of the room as quick as they could. Even Zack was shocked. Where did that sword come from? Well, no matter. He shook his shock off, and let his anger seep back into his being. The hate of loosing Cloud once, his ex girlfriend, and that gaia-damned fucker she was dating. He let go of who he used to be and embraced his other side.

He slid out a pocket knife from the concealed material of his pants, his sadistic look spreading over an old and kind smile. Cloud shot a bolt of lightning into Corneo, while Zack stabbed him in the gut three times. Corneo cried out and fell to the ground, bleeding out rapidly. Cloud crouched down next to him, an innocent smile returning.

"Thank you for the apple cider, it was quite refreshing." He thanked, licking his lips in contentment.

"Oh, and one more thing." He said, removing his wig to reveal his short spiky hair. "I'm a guy." He smirked, standing back up and stretching.

Zack planted his foot on Corneo's back and grinned. "If you happen to be alive when someone finds you...Tell them 'Fair-Induced Strife' did this, and soon, Shinra will be next." The ravenette said, kicking the man in the face.

The two walked out of the manor, and back to the clothing store, where Cloud changed back into his original clothing. He smiled as he felt his dignity returning. Upon re-meeting Zack outside the shop, he grinned an all-knowing grin.

"So, is that our little codename now? 'Fair-Induced Strife'?" He asked.

"Sure is. Thought it sounded catchy." Zack responded, giving that little smirk back. "So, now that the job is done, can we celebrate before checking back with whoever assigned you that mission?" The blonde suggested.

"Sure. What do you have in mind?" The ravenette asked.

"Ice-cream sounds delicious." Cloud responded with a smile...


	7. Chapter 7

_Hai everyone! Chapter seven of Mako Eyes is out and ready for a reading! :D So what do you guys think of it so far? Twisted? I hope so, cause that's what I'm aiming for! XD Anyhow, let's get started!_  
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~~The World's On Fire, But We're All Smiling, Though It's All Our Fault. But Life Is Short So We Resort To Laughing Through It All...~~ _

_~~We Fall Apart, by We As Human~~_

The train-ride to the sector five slums was quiet between the two Turks. They sat across from one another. One's gaze fixated to the floor, the other's locked to the window behind her comrade's hair of fire red. The rattle of the wheels against the track could be heard, each little bump and ricket felt within the floors and pleather seats of the locomotive as it bounced along its' steely guides.

The loud cooing of an infant could be heard a few seats down, and some murmur of quiet conversations from other passengers quietly resonated through the narrow subway like walls of the train. Hearty laughter was heard from a bigger gentleman further in the back, and another person gave him a sharp hush for silence.

"So...Why are we just now going to resolve the whole Corneo matter?" The red-headed Turk said, finally speaking up to strike conversation.

The copper brown haired Turk's gaze snapped back to reality and she blinked her hazel brown eyes once.

"Tseng said that this matter needed to be dealt with. Turns out he's been running some human trafficking schemes for quite some time. We're going down to resolve the situation. Reno, did you pay any attention during the de-briefing?" The female Turk said with a smile and soft chuckle.

"Just striking up some convo' Cissnei." Reno said with a roll of his minty green eyes.

The train hit a small bump on the rails, causing the locomotive to bounce a little more than usual, before returning back to its' normal rhythm of ka-chunk, ka-chunk, with the occasional drawled whistle up at the front. The PA system from overhead gave a small ding, signaling the next stop would be coming up shortly, followed by a cheery voice stating that the slums of sector five would be the next stop.

The two Turks felt the train slowing to a stop, while the brakes softly squealed in protest against the steel tracks in which it rode. They both stood up and held onto the drop down rails to maintain balance as it slowed down and stopped completely. The doors to their caboose slowly groaned open, and they took it as their signal to leave the train. Upon exiting said train, Reno's nose crinkled.

"God, it smells even worse than usual down here, what is it? Big trash day?" He inquired, sniffling a bit whilst Cissnei looked nearly unphased.

"Hmm, It is a bit more putrid." She commented, leading the way to Wall Market. Reno hurried to her side and fell into even stride with her.

The atmosphere seemed anxious and frightened, rather than dull and sickly. Did something happen to excite the sector recently? As they continued on, the putrid smell only grow in silent crescendos the closer they got to their destination. It smelt like decaying flesh or burning rubber. Even Cissnei's face scrunched for just a moment before regaining former complexion.  
As the two entered Wall Market, people swarmed in every direction. Frightened murmurs and whispers echoed through the streets. Looks of fright were paralyzed in the depths of their horrified eyes.

"What happened here?" Reno asked, doing double takes of the small portion of the sector with petrified people.

"Not sure. But I will say that the smell has gotten rancid. The source seems to be coming from Corneo's mansion." Cissnei identified as her pace picked up.

Reno thought he'd be lost in the crowd if she walked any faster. Her conclusion was right. It was vile by the time they reached Corneo's mansion. Guards by the door looked nearly insane with fear as they huddled away from the large manor. Cissnei walked past, but one of them stopped Reno.

"Don't go in there...It's horrible..." He grunted out. For someone as large as he, it looked nearly ironic for him to be scared. He looked white as a piece of paper, if not whiter.

"Sorry guy, it's my job." Reno replied, pulling away from the guard. He followed after Cissnei into enemy territory.

The smell was completely disgusting, almost as bad as curdled milk mixed with the bitter bite of vinegar. Cissnei and Reno observed the building, noticing that the further they got to the room upstairs with the large door, the worse the smell became. When they stepped inside, both stopped in their tracks instantly.

There by their feet, lay a disemboweled Don Corneo. Intestines were crudely cut out of his gut as if he was nothing more than a pig for slaughter. Blood lay puddled around him, staining the carpet. The crimson substance was splattered on furniture, the walls, and some of it still dripped ever so slightly from the ceiling. His face looked horrified. He was long past dead. Cissnei couldn't resist the urge to gag at the sight. Reno didn't blame her one bit.

"What kind of monster did this?" The female Turk choked out from behind her hands.

"Cissnei, don't get too scared. But I don't think a monster did this. Look." Reno said, inspecting Corneo's body closer.

Bloody footprints surrounded the body, and lead out of the room.

"You mean...People did this?" Cissnei asked, her voice completely horrified.

"Afraid so." Reno groaned, blinking his eyes once.

"Who could have done this?" She added, having to look away from the gruesome sight.

"Man, even I don't know." The red-headed Turk said with a sigh, re-joining his partner's side.

"Come on. We need to go report this to Tseng. Maybe he might have some answers." Reno said, trying to use a slight encouraging tone for the present situation.

Cissnei could only nod mutely. The two left the mansion, their moods completely changed from earlier. Their faces matched the others in the sector: Scared and horrified, not to mention confused.

"Hey." A weak voice called to them.

They looked over to see a small boy, about the age of nine. Half of his face was hiding behind a dirty looking stuffed moogle. His dark sandy blonde hair fell to mask his dark ocean blue eyes.

"What is it kiddo?" Reno asked, trying to fake a more upbeat tone as he approached the child.

"I know who did it...I know who killed the bad man in the mansion." He said shakily.

Cissnei perked up and hurried over to listen in. "Who was it? What did you see?" She quickly asked as she crouched down to the boy's height and placed a hand on his frail shoulder.

He opened his mouth to take, but fumbled on nonsense.

"Just start from the beginning, okay bud?" Reno said, giving the boy some confidence.

The blonde boy took a deep breath, closing his eyes for just a plit second, before he re-opened them. His grip around his moogle plush tightened suddenly.

"Well...I was playing near the manor with my friends. We were in the ally right beside it, trying to climb the wire. We heard a little dispute from near the manor, so we wanted to see what was up. Apparently this guy was getting angry cause one of the guards was rough-housing with his lady. Well, they went inside and we thought nothing of it. We went back to playing, but stopped when we...When we heard the scream.

It sounded like someone was getting murdered. My friends were too scared to move, so I volunteered to look and see what was happening. I left the safety of the ally and stood by, close to the manor. The screams kept resonating and it shook the guards up. The ones that ran in didn't come back out.  
After a few minutes, the screams stopped and it was dead quiet. Then two men came out of the building. They were wiping blood from their arms and smiling sadistically. I think they were laughing too.

Well, they saw me staring at them. We all blinked, and then they approached me. I was too scared to move. The taller one with black hair crouched to my height, gave me a smile, then put his index finger to his lips, and gave a quiet and drawled 'Shh' sound. Then the next thing I knew, they were walking off, cheering and saying that Shinra better watch it." The boy explained quietly.

If it had been any louder in the sector, the whole explanation might have gone unheard. Reno and Cissnei blinked.

"This is important kid...What did they look like?" Reno quickly asked, his eyes widening, having a vague idea of who it was already.

"One of them was short. He had sky blue eyes and golden blonde hair that was spiky and everywhere." He described.

"Cloud Strife." Cissnei said.

Reno glanced in her direction. "You know him?" He asked.

Cissnei looked at Reno in horror. "No. But, I saw him, and the last time I did...He was dead." She explained, horrified beyond all belief.

Reno even blinked. "What are we dealing with? A ghost?" He scoffed, trying to throw away his sudden nervousness.

"What did the other one look like?" Cissnei asked.

"He was tall, and he had Mako tinted eyes, long spiky black hair, and a scar in the shape of a cross on his left cheek." The boy explained, pointing to his own cheek for a visual representation.

"Good God! That's Zack Fair!" Reno cried, throwing his hands up to bury into his messy red hair.

"We have to tell Tseng right away!" Cissnei exclaimed, jumping up to her feet.

"You don't have to tell me twice!" Reno agreed as the two Turks bolted for the train station.

Tseng was defiantly not going to believe this one bit...


	8. Chapter 8

_And we're back with chapter eight of Mako Eyes! :D Man, I think I'm doing pretty good for a twisted plot, don'tcha think? Anyhow, why don't we get started huh?  
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_~~Every Brick And Every Stone Of The World We Made Will Come Undone If I Can't Feel You Here With Me...~~ _  
_~~Fire and Fury, by Skillet~~_

Tseng, a cool-headed Turk that usually never showed much emotion other than a bland expression and filed all the paperwork. He never knew why he was stuck with this mundane task that was better fitted for secretaries, but alas, he never complained. Besides, each filed piece of paper got him a little extra in his paycheck, even if the work seemed to be never-ending. But today was much different, much different indeed.

It all started when Cissnei and Reno had come bursting into his office that late Sunday morning. He expected this kind of behaviour from Reno, but he never imagined Cissnei in such a panicked frenzy, nearly worse off than her partner for the assigned mission. But then he understood their reckless behaviour when the details of the mission were explained to him. It was then that he finally showed some emotions besides constant bland. His chocolate-brown eyes widened, nearly tremendously, and his voice caught in his throat before he cleared it uncomfortably.

"You're telling me that Zack Fair and a dead cadet are responsible for the murder of Corneo?" The Turk in disbelief asked.

"That's right Boss. We even got an eyewitness!" Reno exclaimed, pounding a fist into the palm of his other hand for emphasis.

Tseng turned to look at Cissnei to see if the story was just a fabrication, but he was struck silent when she quietly nodded, her copper locks nodding with. The older Turk exhaled loudly and scratched his head, loosening some of the hair caught up in his ponytail and letting some few strands fly out and do as they please.

"You two do realize that Zack was also the one behind the mass murder here at Shinra?" He added on, his eyes locking with each Turk.

He saw both pairs of eyes widen simultaneously and they glanced at each other before whipping back to stare at Tseng in disbelief. You mean

"Zack killed nearly all of the SOLDIERs, half of the infantry, and a few secretaries?" Cissnei asked, her voice wavering.

There was no way that Zack could be behind that. There was just no way! Why would he even fathom doing that? Was it because the army killed his friend? Maybe something happened to Aerith that was Shinra's fault? Regardless of the countless reasons Cissnei could conjugate, none of them would fully explain why he would go haywire like that, just like Genesis and Sephiroth did so many years ago.

"I'm afraid so." Tseng replied, confirming her doubts to be the truth. Zack really did do this.

"But why? He used to be so happy, and revenge never crossed his mind for anything that had been thrown at him! Something must have happened! Maybe I can find him and talk to him!" Cissnei spoke up. She wanted a reason from the ex-SOLDIER herself on why he did this. She wouldn't believe anything until she heard it straight from the man that used to be her friend.

"That's a dangerous thing to propose Cissnei, I will not allow it. I'm sorry to say, but I think Zack Fair is insane." Tseng boldly stated, his eyes hardened like the coldest ice.

Reno could see the emotions behind his fellow Turk's eyes. He had to admit, he had only met Zack once, but the guy seemed to be pretty cool. He figured that Tseng and Cissnei knew him on a more personal level, thus they were more shaken up. He could see the grief, the disbelief, but most of all, he could see the pain flickering in each of their gazes.

"No! He's not insane Tseng! I'll go straighten things out with him!" The copper-headed Turk insisted before quickly turning on her heel to try and rush towards the door.

"Stop her Reno!" Tseng quickly ordered as his hands slammed onto his desk loudly, causing and echoing bang across the room.

The noise caused Reno to leap into action and grab Cissnei and pull her arms behind her back and stopping her advance.

"Let go of me Reno! I promise I can sort things out!" She fired, trying to squirm out of his grasp.

"Sorry Ciss', Tseng's orders." Reno said softly.

He hated how shaken up his friends were about this whole situation. The female Turk stopped squirming and admitted defeat. Her posture slumped as if she had been punched in the gut. Reno now had to hold her up instead of restrain her. This whole thing was becoming mentally exhausting for all three of them. All over a renegade SOLDIER, and a dead cadet.

Reno shivered. The words 'dead' and 'cadet' should never be in the same sentence, especially since this one was alive and killing others, or at least assisting Zack in doing so. It made him wonder if the cadet was really dead or alive. Were they dealing with a warm body, or an angered spirit? Regardless, this whole situation was more twisted than a car after a fatal accident.

"I'm sorry Cissnei. I'm only not allowing this because he could even kill you now. If he could hack through well over half of Shinra, I doubt he would even hesitate to hack through you. He's a killer now. Nothing more, nothing less." Tseng spoke up.

Reno could hear the pain in his friend's voice. He supposed this Zack guy must have been pretty cool many years back. But what was all going on now, Reno was glad he wasn't well acquainted with the guy, otherwise he might have been as shaken up as his comrades. Someone needed to keep a level head here. Tseng nor Cissnei would be able too, not with their emotions so caught up in silky strands of a figurative spiderweb.

"Hey, why don't we all chill out for a minute, yeah?" Reno suggested, letting Cissnei go as she stood on her own, though she seemed weak.

After that, the room grew quiet. A little too quiet for anyones likings, though they didn't voice it. Soon, the only noises heard were the soft breaths of the three people in the room, the soft ticking of the hands inside an analog clock, and few noises from outside the room. Reno looked towards Tseng, then Cissnei, and their faces harbored the same emotion: Betrayal. This was too much for the red-headed Turk. He shook his head and opened up the door.

"Reno. Where are you going?" Tseng asked, though his voice seemed to be less confident than it used to be, and it sounded more like a feeble child.

"I am going to set this straight so you two will stop moaping." The Turk decided to say before he hurried out of the room before Tseng could stop him.

After seeing his frend's faces now, he began to hate Zack with a fiery passion. But he would suppress it and try to hear the story straight from him, before trying to taze him with his MRE anyway. But first he had to find the ex-SOLDIER, and the dead cadet.

Geeze, even thinking those two words caused Reno to shiver.

0-0- VII -0-0

Zack smirked at the large pouch of Gil he received from the task of assassinating Corneo. Earlier, he had sent Cloud out to go get some Materia and items with some of the spoils they had rightfully earned. The blonde should be back any time now, he figured. The ravenette was sitting on a worn out bench near the sector five market.  
He had his face resting in his hands and he allowed himself the pleasure of along and drawled yawn. He was quite tired after finishing that task. Perhaps they could rest at an inn once Cloud returned. Not just any inn, but a nice lavish one. He was sure they would have plenty of Gil even after the splurge of items and such.

Few children ran passed him, playing a game of pretend SOLDIER. In the past, Zack probably would have chuckled to himself about their innocent game. But after all that had happened, it just caused him to scowl and glare daggers at the ground below him. Why would any kid fantasize about joining that corrupt piece of shit company?  
All that awaited them was pain, betrayal, and secrets they wish they never learned about. It seems that's how it worked for any first class in that building. The ravenette wished he had slaughtered everyone in his earlier rage.

When he heard quick footsteps, he looked up to see Cloud running towards him with a paper bag full of said supplies. The blonde had a big smile on his face and it caused all the hate and pain within Zack to disappear. There was something about that smile that even made that pain in his heart vanish in an instant. Zack smiled back at the blonde. He couldn't remember the last time he had smiled like that. Since before the Nebelheim incident, that was for sure.

Suddenly, a figure shot out from behind Cloud, and an arm wrapped around his neck, and an MRE shot out and was shoved against the blonde's temple, causing him to drop the bag of items and Materia. Zack's smile instantly vanished, especially when he saw the look of fear on Cloud's face.

"So how'd they bring you back kiddo? Revive Materia?" A familiar voice asked as the figure fully stepped into view.

"Reno!" Zack growled, starting to unsheath his sword.

"Unsheath it and I kill blondie here!" Reno threatened, jabbing the MRE at Cloud's temple again, causing the blonde to wince and close his eyes as if to escape the situation.

The ex-SOLDIER growled, but nevertheless, sheathed his sword with a hate hardened glare in his Mako tinted blue eyes.

"Zack Fair, retired First Class. Labled as a psychopath back at Shinra." Reno listed, drawing circles in Cloud's temples with the MRE.

Truth be told, he hated playing the villain here, threatening to kill someone that really was alive. Man, this wasn't him at all. But alas, he needed an explanation, and this would be the only way to get Zack to cooperate. He needed to do this not just for the sake of Shinra, but for his friend's that were currently in disarray.

"Let. Cloud. Go." Zack demanded with pauses in his sentences for emphasis of his anger.

"Not yet. I want answers Slick." Reno said, getting right to the point.

Cloud slowly opened his eyes, as if he was checking to see if he was somehow transported away from the situation he was in. No use. He fought against Reno, but the MRE was just pressed further into his temple, making an indention for sure.

"Hey, settle down blondie. I really don't want to kill you." Reno said, trying to sound sincere, but it came out as threatening.

"What do you want Reno?" Zack growled, his eyes locking onto the Turks, yet occasionally glancing at Cloud to observe how he was holding up.

"Like I said, I want answers. I have a couple of questions to ask you. I'm afraid holding your little friend hostage was the only way you'd listen and behave." The red-headed Turk said matter of factly.

"Fine. Ask away. But I swear on my own grave if you so much as shock Cloud, even a little bit, I'll have your head." The ex-SOLDIER threatened.

"Alright, first question. Why'd you go bonkers and slaughter half of Shinra?" Reno asked.

"For what they did to me. They tried to kill me, and I thought they killed Cloud. Returning to Midgar, I found that Aerith had moved on with someone else. Fueled by hate and vengeance, I went on a mass murder." Zack explained.

Cloud's eyes were now locked onto Zack. It's true, the army did kill him, but he was brought back by a man with a sword similar to Zack's if not identical. But he didn't know Aerith had rejected him. That's why they came back to Midgar in the first place. It's no wonder why Zack did what he did.

"I see. Reasonable, I suppose. What about us Turks? If we were sent out, would you have killed us too?" Reno asked.

The ravenette couldn't help but chuckle, before he began to laugh and clutch his sides. Reno blinked once. Why was he laughing? This guy really must be insane!

"Oh Reno, you should know I wouldn't have killed you! None of the Turks actually! I have friends there. That's why I let Kunsel live. I want you all to see how corrupt Shinra is." Zack responded, stifling his laughter.

"Nice to know. Cause Tseng and Cissnei are all confused back at Shinra. Cissnei was actually going to come down and talk to you instead, but Tseng decided against it. So I came down to see why you're doing what you're doing." Reno spoke, his grip around Cloud's neck relentless. It seemed as if he was never going to let go.

The blonde could feel the pressure from the MRE digging into his head and it was freaking him out. Was this Turk really going to kill him if Zack didn't follow orders? Cloud didn't want to die again. The first time was painful enough. Feeling each bullet shoot through his head, penetrate his skull and blow out chunks of his brain out the back of his head. The pain of bleeding out, and feeling his organs failing inside of him.

The fear hit him full force. It caused his knees to buckle and his body slumped. Reno slightly fell with him, but the grip around his neck caused the blonde to not hit the ground. But the memories and fear from before did not let up. Cloud let out a bloodcurdling scream and his hands shot up to claw at Reno's arm. The Turk reacted by sending a small jolt of electricity through Cloud's skull, causing the blonde to twitch a bit and grow limp in his captors his arms.

"Fuck! Reno!" Zack growled, unsheathing his sword. He warned the Turk. He did. Now he was going to pay.

"Back off! I did that in self defence! Next time I'll turn the dosage up!" Reno shouted, jamming the MRE into Cloud's temple roughly, causing the blonde to whimper.

The ravenette backed off, but kept his sword out and ready to attack at the drop of a hat. The cadet looked up at the ex-SOLDIER with frightened eyes. The looking he was giving nearly caused Zack's heart to stop. He hated that look. It suddenly made his heart race and pound furiously in his chest.

What was this feeling? He had never experienced it with Aerith before. But he didn't know if he liked it or not. Seeing Cloud in that frightful state was making his blood burn and boil, and adrenaline pulsed through his body, along with some anxious feeling in the pit of his stomach and bottom of his heart. The blonde's eyes locked onto the ravenette's.

"Don't let him hurt me Zack." Cloud whimpered, as moisture swelled in his eyes. That was the breaking point.

The ex-SOLDIER raised his sword and charged straight at Reno. But the Turk followed through and upped the electric dose on the MRE before firing it into Cloud's neck instead of his head, so he wouldn't kill the blonde. Zack followed through on his rage by swinging his sword down into Reno's shoulder. The Turk cried out, released Cloud, and staggered back, gripping his injured shoulder. The ravenette held out his arms as Cloud slumped into them, his fingers twitching from the electricity pumping through his body.

"I warned you Reno. I didn't want to do that, but you gave me no choice. Now get out of here before I kill you." Zack growled, glaring fire through the back of the Turk's skull with his eyes alone.

Reno had no choice but to retreat. The others were not going to be happy. Sure, confusion would be cleared from the air, but it would be replaced with vengeance and anger. The real battle was just beginning, he figured. Zack's eyes followed Reno's movements until he disappeared towards the train station. He really felt bad about hurting Reno when he originally had no intention, but Cloud was put in harms way, and something inside him didn't like that one bit.

Speaking of the blonde, he looked down with worried eyes to check his condition. The cadet was huddled up close to his chest, catching his breath and getting his senses back in order.

"You okay Chocobo?" Zack asked, giving his friend a pat on the back.

Cloud weakly nodded, his mouth was open to speak, but no sound came out. He clenched his fists to regain control of his movement, save for few jerky twitches as the electricity began to dissipate. Even after the twitches left the blonde, the ex-SOLDIER still kept hanging onto the cadet and patting his back.

The blonde blushed brightly, realizing where he was. He quickly pulled away from Zack, hiding the blush on his face, albeit not very well. Seeing Cloud blush made the ravenette blush as well.

"Anyway, what things were you able to find?" Zack asked.


End file.
